STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 53rd Legislature (2012)

SENATE BILL 1399	By:	Wilson

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to emergency transportation and care; stating legislative intent; directing the State Department of Health to establish certain program; providing for the collection of certain fees; making certain membership fees payment in full; directing certain entities to make certain claims; directing the Department to determine certain reimbursement; permitting certain collections; directing expenditure of certain excess funds; creating the Emergency Transportation and Care Membership Program Revolving Fund; providing for codification; providing for noncodification; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law not to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
It is the intent of the Legislature that:
1.  Ground and air emergency transportation and emergency care should be available to the general public as a public service; and
2.  Ground and air emergency transportation and emergency care should not be the sole responsibility of the users since persons who are not using the services also demand their availability.
SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-2524 of Title 63, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A.  The State Department of Health shall establish and maintain a statewide voluntary emergency transportation and care membership program.  The Department shall collect fees from persons who desire to be members of the program.  Membership fees shall be considered payment in full for services provided by ground and air emergency transportation and emergency care providers who participate in the program.
B.  Entities which have agreed to participate in the program and which have provided ground or air emergency transportation or emergency care for a member shall submit a claim for reimbursement to the Department.  The Department shall determine the amount to be reimbursed to such providers.  Participation in the membership program shall not prohibit a ground or air emergency transportation provider or an emergency care provider from collecting payments from a third party for services rendered.
C.  Any funds from membership fees which have not been expended by the Department on ground or air emergency transportation or emergency care for members at the end of each fiscal year shall be spent on capital improvement to improve emergency medical care infrastructure in the state.
D.  There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund for the State Department of Health to be designated the "Emergency Transportation and Care Membership Program Revolving Fund".  The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of all monies received by the State Department of Health from membership fees collected pursuant to this section.  All monies accruing to the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the State Department of Health for the purposes specified in this section.  Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of State Finance for approval and payment.
SECTION 3.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2012.

53-2-2848	JM	1/18/2012 10:59:36 AM